A Digital Journal - San Francisco Public Works
In the Works
December 2024
2024 headline here
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January
Partnering
We hosted the 6th annual Collaborative Partnering Awards ceremony, which recognized nine City and County of San Francisco building and infrastructure projects that demonstrated collaborative partnering.
From the industrial reaches of the Bayview to a sprawling government campus on the Peninsula and a public golf course clubhouse on the western end of Golden Gate Park, a mass timber construction renaissance is taking root in the Bay Area – and San Francisco Public Works architects are helping drive the revival. Architects are tapping into a building technique that promises quicker turnarounds, produces more welcoming facilities and, perhaps most importantly, uses emission-storing materials to help combat global warming.
Green Infrastructure
Love Our City
More than 125 community volunteers helped us kick off the 2024 season of Love Our City: Neighborhood Beautification Day in the Richmond District.
February
Chinatown Spruce Up
Public Works crews were out in force in Chinatown throughout the month of February for annual deep-cleaning and beautification operations during the Lunar New Year holiday season.
Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse
City officials, community leaders and golf enthusiasts gathered for the grand opening of the new Golden Gate Golf Course Clubhouse.
Storm Response!
The 6-plus inches of rain that fell in San Francisco kept our Operations teams busy handling storm-related incidents.
March
Arbor Day 2024
In just one day, hundreds of volunteers working alongside Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry crews planted 100 new street trees in the City’s Tenderloin, Hayes Valley, Western Addition and NoPa neighborhoods in celebration of Arbor Day.
Third Street Bridge Repaired
For the first time in a year, pedestrians regained full access to the historic Third Street Bridge after our trades workers completed critical repairs to the storm-battered span in time for the Giants pre-season home opener.
Recognition for our Architects
This month, Julia Laue, who leads Public Works’ Bureau of Architecture, and Paul Woolford, a member of the Public Works Commission, received one of the profession’s highest honors, bestowed upon them by the American Institute of Architects.
April
Public Works Week 2024
Public Works Week, an annual event where our department celebrates and showcases our employees and the work they do throughout the year, didn’t disappoint this year, with packed open houses, project tours, a recognition awards ceremony and more.
Mission Cabins
San Francisco opened an addition to its homeless shelter program – a small campus in the Mission District with 60 private cabins and onsite support services.
911 Call Center
In partnership with the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, one of the busiest dispatch centers in the country received a Public Works-led makeover.
May
Bay to Breakers Race Cleanup
As racers labored through the Bay to Breakers race, a contingent of Public Works street cleaners – clad in neon vests and armed with push brooms, shovels and rakes – stood at the ready.
Glass Shop
The department’s Glass Shop – a small but mighty operation – handles a variety of repair and installation jobs for a broad swath of City departments, from replacing mirrors at the San Francisco International Airport to adding anti-graffiti film to Rec and Park facilities.
Folsom Street Makeover
Construction got underway on the Folsom Street Improvements Project, focused on making the busy South of Market corridor safer and more inviting for residents and visitors, with a reimagined roadway design, fresh landscaping and new street furniture.
June
Ocean Beach Sand Relocation
Every year, a major Public Works sand-moving operation at Ocean Beach involving massive excavators and bulldozers.
Pride Parade
Inspired by this year’s in-house theme, “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” Public Works got into the spirit of Pride month, an annual tradition celebrated throughout June to highlight the contributions and history of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Neat Street
We created our very own internet-based video game to capture the spirit of maintaining, cleaning and greening San Francisco’s streets and sidewalks.
July
Mission Branch Library Renovation
Public Works is leading a project, delivered on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library, that will help restore the beloved Mission Branch Library – more than 100 years old – to some of its original glory. Work will add much-needed upgrades to transform the facility into a less cramped, more accommodating and more climate-resilient space for staff and patrons.
August
High Pressure Upgrades to Vital Firefighting Network
For the first time in nearly a century, San Francisco is overhauling a crucial part of its emergency firefighting apparatus – with the help of some Public Works engineering and design know-how.
SFPD Gun Range
Four times a year, Public Works engineer Alfonso Aguilera grabs a hammer and heads to the San Francisco Police Department’s firearms range for inspections.
Paving
With the stars aligned, Public Works’ in-house street repair crews jumped into action and made quick work of an expedited roadway paving project in the Marina – earning praise from neighbors.
September
Harvesting Community at a Bayview Garden
Mary and Joel McClure, working with neighbors, transformed a derelict City-owned parcel in the Bayview into a flourishing community garden.
Golden Gate Park Gateway
When Public Works landscape architect Nicholas Ancel was working on the design for the new Golden Gate Park gateway at Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way, he found inspiration among ancient giants in the woods.
October
Graffiti Wipeout!
Scores of volunteers, armed with paint, rollers, brushes and a spirited determination, went to battle against the pervasive graffiti tags marring the Tenderloin.
Lighting Rod Project
Strapped into harnesses and attached to safety lines, Public Works electricians installed new lightning rods on the sloped metal roof of the City’s 911 Call Center.
Glen Park Staircase
A mundane, utilitarian public staircase connecting a quiet cul-de-sac with a busy street in the Glen Park neighborhood metamorphosed into a community treasure packed with beauty and meaning.
Polk Street Paving
Public Works crews kicked paving efforts into high gear, revamping City Hall’s front porch by putting down a fresh layer of smooth asphalt on Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place and making the roadway safer for people who walk and bike.
November
Japantown Peace Plaza
An ambitious overhaul of Japantown’s venerable, five-tier pagoda and the surrounding Peace Plaza began this year.
10 Years of Pit Stop
San Francisco’s innovative Pit Stop public toilet program, launched by Public Works 10 years ago, has averaged one flush a minute. The program started with three locations in the Tenderloin and has expanded to 30 locations in 13 neighborhoods.
December
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Storm Season Starts
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